Why We’re Better Off Without a Rulebook for Love
Love can be anything, as long as you choose it
I welcomed the New Year with what appeared to be a joyous celebration.
I spent the entire night watching old films. As I was sifting through the collection, I stumbled upon the timeless classic, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.
Instantly, a rush of cherished memories flooded my mind.
Introduction to Love
As a young child, my after-school routine was simple: My eyes would stay glued to the television as my mother fed me lunch.
It must have been one of those days when I first came across a Shah Rukh Khan film.
His charm and charisma were such that he would leave me in awe every time.
Every time he confessed his love for his sweetheart, I would feel the tingly sensation in my stomach.
One day, his classic film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was playing on TV — I was immediately convinced that ‘Pyar dosti hai’ (Love is friendship).
It etched the romantic idea of marrying your best friend into my very young mind.
Fast forward to today…
I forgot about the film once I reached my teenage years. I chased different feelings, believing all to be some form of love.
My journey to adulthood made me realize that I did not even know what love was anymore. And it took me even longer to understand that somehow, everyone had a different definition of love.
It bewildered me — how could I love someone when our definitions of love differed so vastly?
Perhaps, unnecessarily, we spend our lives questioning and deciphering love when there is no need for it.
Perhaps, there never has been a single definition because there is none.
Love is what you choose it to be.
Love may mean acceptance. It may mean letting go. Or it may mean showing up.
And more often than not, it may simply be a choice you make every single day.
Somehow, love can be what you want it to be.
Now, when I look back at Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, I certainly agree with Rahul.
Love is friendship — if only two people choose it.
